With the National Hockey League lockout approaching its fourth month and small businesses across the country on ice, the U.S. Small Business Administration is prepared to help the affected local businesses. In St. Paul, SBA representatives will be reaching out over the coming weeks to business owners to provide counseling sessions and help businesses work through this difficult time.

The owner of one St. Paul business, Eagle Street Grille, wrote to the NHL and to players’ union leadership last week calling for a resolution to the dispute. Joe Kasel said that he has laid off two-thirds of his staff and that hockey game-day business accounts for 50 percent of his annual revenue. Eagle Street Grille is across the street from the Xcel Energy Center, where the Minnesota Wild play.

Affected business owners in St. Paul can contact the following SBA resource partners: Saint Paul SCORE: 651-632-8937; Women Venture: 651-646-3808; Small Business Development Center (SBDC): 651-962-4500; Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) 651-291-2480.

NAMES

HealthFitness, Bloomington, said Teri Lonergan has joined the company as chief information officer. Lonergan most recently served as senior IT director for Google subsidiary Motorola Mobility. … Freight logistics company C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Eden Prairie, said that Senior Vice President James Butts will retire Dec. 31. … MOCON, Brooklyn Center, said it has expanded its board of directors from six to eight, adding Bradley Goskowicz and David Ward. Goskowicz is the chief executive officer of Microbiologics Inc.; Ward is a general manager of Cargill Process Optimizers.

BRIEFLY

Forever 21 is slated to open in its new spot at the Mall of America on Dec. 15, in a portion of the former Bloomingdale’s department store space. The retailer plans to distribute gift cards ranging from $10 to $210 to the first 400 shoppers when doors open at 8 a.m. … Arctic Cat, Plymouth, introduced its Wildcat 4 1000, expanding its sport Wildcat line of recreational off-highway vehicles. … Communications Systems, Eden Prairie, said it has accelerated the payment date of its quarterly dividend to Dec. 27 from Jan. 2. The amount of the cash dividend remains 16 cents per share of common stock and the record date remains Dec. 14.

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